Magnetically adjustable actuator means for a material spreader

ABSTRACT

An actuator means which is suitable for use in a spreader for fluent material and which has a guide part and an actuator part. One of the guide and actuator parts is magnetized and the other of the guide and actuator parts is of a ferrous composition so that the actuator part is drawn toward and magnetically coupled with the guide part. In this manner the actuator part can be selectively positioned relative to the guide part.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,907,212

Ullom 1 1 Sept. 23, 1975 1 1 MAGNETICALLY ADJUSTABLE 3.175.739 3/1965 Speicher 222/177 x ACTUATOR MEANS FOR A MATERIAL 3.187.952 6/1965 Santarel1i.... 7. 222/177 X SPREADER 3.394.892 7/1968 Spencher 239/685 X 75 Inventor: William L. Ullom, Wabash, 1nd. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 861.957 1/1971 Canada 239/681 [73] Assignee: The Cyclone Seeder Company, Inc.,

Urban, Primary Examiner-Robert S. Ward. Jr. [22 Filed: Sept 20 1974 Attorney. Agent. 0! FirmOltsch 8L Knoblock [21] Appl. NO.Z 507,737 57 ABSTRACT An actuator means which is suitable for use in a [52] US. Cl. 239/685; 222/177; 222/505; spreader for fluent material and which has a guide 251/65 part and an actuator part. One of the guide and actua- [51] Int. Cl. A01C 17/00; B05B 9/00 tor parts is magnetized and the other of the guide and [58] Field of Search 222/177, 505, 176, 43; actuator parts is of a ferrous composition so that the 239/156, 176, 668, 681, 685; 251/65 actuator part is drawn toward and magnetically coupled with the guide part. In this manner the actuator [56] References Cited part can be selectively positioned relative to the guide UNITED STATES PATENTS P 2941.811 6/1960 Sherer 239/685 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures l 8 2 l v 34 Q 20 3.

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 3,907,212

MAGNETICALLY- ADJUSTABLE ACTUATOR MEANS FOR A MATERIALSPREADER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a magnetically adjustable actuating device and will have specific bu't'not limited use in a spreader for fluent material. 7

When used in a spreader for fluent material the actuator device will include actuator means .which upon shiftable movement regulates the discharge flow rate of the fluent material from a receptacle means. Guide means are included for supporting the actuator means. Magnetic means forms a part of or is carried by one of the guide and actuator means with the other of the guide and actuator means being formed of a ferrous material so that the actuator .means will be drawn toward the guide means and selectively located relative to the guide means. In this manner, the actuator means can be shifted or adjusted relative to the guide means through the magnetic coupling betweenn the actuator and guide means to vary the flow rate of the fluent material from the spreader receptacle means. 7 I

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an actuator which can be located in aselected position by means of a magnetic coupling. I H

Another object of this invention is to provide an actuator rod which is for use in regulating the dischargerate of fluent material from a spreader and which is selectively located by means of a magnetic coupling.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the inventins description. invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a spreader having one embodiment of the magnetically coupled actuator means of the invention incorporated therein.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handle and actuator means of the spreader of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the actuator means and handle seen from line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the spreader handle showing the actuator means magnetically coupled thereto in an optional manner.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spreader handle showing the actuator means magnetically coupled thereto in another manner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments illustrated are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

The spreader illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 includes a receptacle 12 into which the fluent material, such as seed or fertilizer, is placed. Receptacle 12 is seated upon a frame 14 to which are joumaled wheels 16. A tubular handle 18 forms a part of frame 14 and extends upwardly and rearwardly of receptacle 12. A cross bar member 20 is secured to the upper end of handle 18 and serves as the gripping means through which spreader 10 is pushed over the ground. A discharge opening is formed in the bottom wall of receptacle 12. A regulator plate 22 is carried by the spreader adjacently below the discharge opening in receptacle 12 and is shiftable over'the opening so as to close or selectively vary the effective size of the opening. A wire 24 extends through handle 18 of the spreader and has its lower end connected to plate 22. Cross bar member 20 has an openi'n'g26 formed therein-in general alignment with the axis of handle 18. An actuator rod 28 extends through opening 26 in cross bar member 20 and has its interioror lower end connected to the upper end-of wire 24. The exposed or outer end of rod 28 preferably has a knob 30 attached to it for ease in gripping the rod and shifting it'longitudinally within opening 26. An impeller 32 which is associated for rotational movement with wheels 16 is located below plate 22 and under the discharge opening in receptacle 12. The manner of op eration of thespreader 10 so far'described is well known and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,175,739 and Actuator rod 28 is formed of a ferrous material so as to be magnetically attractable. A pair of magnets 34 are mounted to cross bar member 20 and located on opposite sides of opening 26 therein. Each magnet 34 has a part circular groove 36 formed therein. Each groove 36 is formed with a curvature substantially similar to the circular curvature in cross section of 'rod 28 and on a complemental radius. Magnets 34 are preferably positioned with their mutually magnetically attractable poles in a slightly spaced end to end relationship so and rod 28'is sufticient'to retain the rod in a selected longitudinal position relative to handle 18 with regulating plate 22 being correspondingly located over a selected portion of the discharge opening inn receptacle 12. The magnetic attraction between magnets 34 and cross bar member 20 exceeds that of the magnetic attraction between the magnets and rod 28 so that as the rod is shifted by knob 30 longitudinally relative to handle 18 the magnets will remain attached to the cross bar member.

In some embodiments of the actuator adjustment device illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, magnets 34 may be bonded or otherwise fixedly secured to cross bar member 20 with rod 34 being drawn toward one or the other of the magnets and held in a selected position thereby.

The embodiment of the actuator adjustment device shown in FIG. 4 includes a donut shaped magnet 38. Magnet 38 is mounted to cross bar member 20 with actuator rod 28 extending with slight clearance through the center opening 40 in magnet 38. Again, magnet 38 may be magnetically coupled to cross bar member 20, or, alternatively, fixedly bonded thereto. The magnetic forces within the center opening 40 of magnet 38 cause actuator rod 28 to be magnetically coupled with magnet 38 and located in a selected longitudinal position, thereby correspondingly positioning the regulating plate positioned under the discharge opening in the fluent material receptacle of the spreader.

In the embodiment of the actuator adjustment device shown in FIG. 5 the actuator rod 28 is magnetized and drawn into contact with the cross bar member 20 formed of a ferrous material. In this embodiment, rod 28 forms the magnet by which the rod is magnetically coupled in a selected position to cross bar member 20.

In each of the aforedescribed embodiments of this invention the magnetic coupling between actuator rod 28 and cross bar member 20.0f the spreader creates a drag by which the actuator rod is held in a selected Iongitudinal position which correspondingly positionsthe regulating plate over the discharge opening. in the spreader receptacle, thereby serving to regulate the discharge rate of. fluent materialfrom the spreader.

It is to be understood that this invention may have application in fields other than spreaders in which a magnetic coupling is utilized to position an actuating means relative to its supporting guide housing, Further, the actuating means disclosed in "the above ,figures would have application in other types of Spreaders and is not intended to be limitedvto the broadcasttype spreader above described.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to ;,the details above given but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: H4,

1. ln aspreader for fluent material, said spreader including a receptacle means to contain said material, a

discharge opening in said receptacle means,.regulating means in association with said discharge opening for controlling the rate of material flow from said receptacle means a ferrous actuator rod means associated with said regulating means which uponlongitudinal movement shifts said regulating means to control said rate of material flow, guide means supporting said actu a tor Q rod means and including an opening therein.

through which said actuator rod means extends for guided supported longitudinal movement, the improvement comprising magnetic means carriedby said guide means and positioned about said guide rncans opening therein, said magnetic means forming a magnetic coupling with said actuator rod means to position said rod means in a selected location: relative =to said guide means and thereby selectively controlrthe rateof material flow from said receptacle. L V t 2. The spreader'o fclaim 1 wherein said magnetic means is two opposed magnets having an air gap therebetween andbeing located on opposite sides of said guide means opening adjacent the edges of said guide means opening. I

'3.- The spreader-of claim 1 wherein said'magnetic means is -rnagnetica'lly coupled to said'guide means.

4; The-s'preader-of claim 3 wherein said magnetic means is two opposed magnets 'having an air gap between all parts thereof and located on opposite sides of said guide means opening adjacent the edges of said guide means opening.

5. In a spreader for fluen t material, said spreader including a receptacle means to contain said material, a dischargeopening in said'receptacle means, regulating means in association with said discharge opening for controlling the rate: of' material "flow from said receptacle means, actuator rod means associated with'said regulating means which uponiilongitudinal movement shifts said recep t'a cle' means to control the rate of mate rial-flow, ferrous guide means supporting said actuator rod means and including'an opening therein through which said actuator rod means extends for guided supported longitudinal movement, the improvement wherein said actuator rod means is magnetized to form a magnetic coupling with said guide means to position said rod means in a selected location relative to said guide means and thereby selectively control the rate of material flow from said receptacle. 

1. In a spreader for fluent material, said spreader including a receptacle means to contain said material, a discharge opening in said receptacle means, regulating means in association with said discharge opening for controlling the rate of material flow from said receptacle means, a ferrous actuator rod means associated with said regulating means which upon longitudinal movement shifts said regulating means to control said rate of material flow, guide means supporting said actuator rod means and including an opening therein through which said actuator rod means extends for guided supported longitudinal movement, the improvement comprising magnetic means carried by said guide means and positioned about said guide means opening therein, said magnetic means forming a magnetic coupling with said actuator rod means to position said rod means in a selected location relative to said guide means and thereby selectively control the rate of material flow from said receptacle.
 2. The spreader of claim 1 wherein said magnetic means is two opposed magnets having an air gap therebetween and being located on opposite sides of said guide means opening adjacent the edges of said guide means opening.
 3. The spreader of claim 1 wherein said magnetic means is magnetically coupled to said guide means.
 4. The spreader of claim 3 wherein said magnetic means is two opposed magnets having an air gap between all parts thereof and located on opposite sides of said guide means opening adjacent the edges of said guide means opening.
 5. In a spreader for fluent material, said spreader including a receptacle means to contain said material, a discharge opening in said receptacle means, regulating means in association with said discharge opening for controlling the rate of material flow from said receptacle means, actuator rod means associated with said regulating means which upon longitudinal movement shifts said receptacle means to control the rate of material flow, ferrous guide means supporting said actuator rod means and including an opening therein through which said actuator rod means extends for guided supported longitudinal movement, the improvement wherein said actuator rod means is magnetized to form a magnetic coupling with said guide means to position said rod means in a selected location relative to said guide means and thereby selectively control the rate of material flow from said receptacle. 